Introduction to Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals are substances used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of diseases and ailments thus protecting public health. Pharmaceutical compounds can be drugs or preparations (formulations) used in medicine. Pharmaceuticals are used to intervene or modify the interactions between living organisms and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function to produce desired results and restore normal well-being.
Pharmaceutical Industry
The pharmaceutical industry discovers, develops, produces, and markets medicines and vaccines (pharmaceutical goods) for the use of humans and animals. These medicines or drugs function by being administered to (or self-administered by) patients for curing and/or preventing disease (as well as possibly alleviating symptoms of illness and/or injury). Pharmaceutical companies may produce ‘generic’ drugs or discover ‘new drugs’ first and then produce them on a big scale. These drugs can be of plant or animal origin or totally synthetic (discovered and synthesized in laboratories).
Raw Material and Product Testing in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Raw material testing is very important in pharmaceuticals for ensuring drug efficacy (raw materials should meet stringent quality standards for producing effective medications); regulatory compliance; patient safety (contaminated or substandard raw materials can lead to serious health risks); and cost efficiency (use of the best quality materials can save costs associated with rework, recalls, and waste).
Several methods are used to test raw materials in the pharmaceutical industry. Each method serves a specific purpose. The testing types are: Identification testing, Purity testing, Microbial testing, Physical testing, and Chemical testing.
